Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up freeShared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
Pumphouse to State Bridge: the float-fishing heart of the upper Colorado. Browns on the banks. The river tops out around 10 ft. The depth picture is modeled, anchored to the true shoreline and the water's published max depth — a scouting aid, never a chart to run a boat by. Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.
Drawn out, this is 1,214 acres of water rimmed by 68 miles of bank. With a shoreline index of 13.9, this water is all arms and coves — edge habitat well beyond its acreage. Every acre of it sits shallower than ~15 ft: one big littoral zone, cover and forage throughout. Figure 21.9 mi of water from one end to the other, 6.5 mi at the beam. You'll find it in Eagle County. The nearest mapped water is Sheriff Reservoir, 28 mi to the northwest.
When the water first warms, brown trout slide up into 1 to 10 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 3 to 10 ft, winter 1 to 10 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Piney River confluence: an inflow / creek mouth around 8 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in after dark and early morning. Keep a spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Piney River confluence (8 ft) | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 3 to 10 ft | night & dawn | Riffle & run (mile 5.0) (4 ft) | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 2 to 10 ft | dusk & dawn | Piney River confluence (8 ft) | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 1 to 10 ft | dawn | Piney River confluence (8 ft) | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
In spring, rainbow trout run shallow here, mostly 3 to 10 ft. Summer keeps them at 3 to 10 ft, and they winter in 2 to 10 ft. Piney River confluence is the standout, an inflow / creek mouth at roughly 8 ft, rated prime for spring rainbow trout. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Piney River confluence (8 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 3 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Piney River confluence (8 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 3 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Riffle & run (mile 5.0) (4 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 2 to 10 ft | dawn | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (8 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Structure-wise the chart holds 16 features, led in depth by Piney River confluence at roughly 8 ft.
Access data: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) — community-mapped launches. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Colorado waters are set by the Colorado Parks & Wildlife — and special regulations can apply to Colorado River (Upper) specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Colorado fishing regulations →
Colorado River (Upper) is about 10 ft (3 m) deep at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.
Anglers target brown trout, rainbow trout on Colorado River (Upper).
Piney River confluence is the top-rated area: an inflow / creek mouth in about 8 ft of water that rates prime for brown trout in spring. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
For brown trout, the summer bite is best in after dark and early morning. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Colorado River (Upper) is regulated by the Colorado Parks & Wildlife. Check the official Colorado regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Sheriff Reservoir 28 mi · Trappers Lake 28 mi · Eagle Lake 34 mi · Ruedi Reservoir 38 mi · Willow Creek Reservoir 43 mi · Turquoise Lake 48 mi · Granby Reservoir 50 mi · Shadow Mountain Reservoir 51 mi · Meadow Creek Reservoir 52 mi · Grand Lake 53 mi · Monarch Lake 53 mi · Bob Lake 55 mi
See how Colorado River (Upper) stacks up: best rainbow trout lakes in Colorado · best brown trout lakes in Colorado
Browse all Colorado fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.